What was your way into whisky?

By Dave Hunter

Most whisky drinkers have a story about how they first took an interest in the spirit, from memories of a particular event or tasting to a specific dram that blew the category wide open for them. 

So with whiskies on our minds, SLTN approached some drinks company spokespeople to find out what sparked their own passion for whisky. 

Andy Lennie from Fettercairn recalled trying whiskies with his dad, with a friend of his also having a soft spot for Laphroaig. 

But it was a more northerly island distillery that really brought things into focus. 

“The turning point came when I attended my first whisky tasting with Highland Park,” he said. 

“That experience opened my eyes to the depth, diversity and storytelling behind whisky, and it was the moment I realised I wanted to build a career in the whisky industry.”

Returning to Islay, it was a trip to Scotland’s famous whisky isle that brought Gregor Hannah of Lady of the Glen to whisky. 

He explained: “One whisky that has always stayed with me is Lagavulin. My girlfriend, now my wife, and I visited Islay during Fèis Ìle, and it remains one of our favourite holiday memories.

“Standing in the warehouse at Lagavulin, tasting whisky in the very place where it had matured for years, was a special experience. It wasn’t just about the whisky itself; it was about the people, the place and the memories attached to it.

“That’s something Scotch does exceptionally well. Every distillery has a story, and sometimes those stories become part of your own.”

Lagavulin was also an early favourite for Felix Bottomley at Wee Smoky. 

He recalled: “I began with rums before I got to whisky; working at Waitrose for six years in the booze section as one of my first jobs I was exposed to a wonderful assortment of different spirits and I was always into the sweeter things so I started at rums and then progressed to aged rums and then one day my boss told me we were going to do samples with the customers and he brought out three different bottles of whisky: Old Pulteney 12 year old, Glenfiddich 12 year old and 16 year old Lagavulin and whilst I did and to this day enjoy all of them I remember sneaking myself pours of the Lagavulin 16 year old every time a customer would come to try them.”

It’s not just the Scottish distilleries that bring people into whisky, of course. 

Ryan McFarland of Drinksology Kirker Greer said a visit to the Woodford Reserve Distillery in Kentucky ultimately led him to whiskies from all over the world.

“That experience changed my perspective on the category,” he said. “I completely fell in love with the story of how Irish immigration helped shape and influence an American distillery, and I quickly began to appreciate the sweeter flavour profiles that come from maturation in charred new oak barrels.

“Fast forward 20 years and my palate has evolved considerably. 

“Irish whiskey and Scotch are now a regular part of my repertoire, but that first distillery visit showed me how a great story and a memorable experience can transform someone’s perception of whisky and create a lasting appreciation for the category.”